I would recommend blocking anything with the words "popup", "banner", "killer", or "ad" in the user agent field. Sure you may lose traffic from a legitimate browser named "popup killer" but I really doubt it .

I've commented out the Mozilla one, since it could block, as far as I remember from the comments on the web page, any browser based on Mozilla that's created using some specific Visual Basic libraries. It was some seemingly low percentage of traffic, but I decided not to take a chance with it. I wish I could remember the page, but that was a while ago.

Web ********, Offline Explorer, WebZIP, and some of the others you have there are actually spiders. They are more descructive in my opinion than anyone blocking ads from your site because they spider your entire site which inflate your page views and gets you banned from programs. I can't use search boxes on my site for this reason, been booted from two places. I would definitely put Teleport Pro in your list as it's the most common spider. I've gone a step further than you and had an entire collection of scripts written to handle this problem. I don't use htaccess because my list would be too long Fortunately I have a dedicated server and have root so I use ipchains which completely bans an IP. I have one script to parse the log file looking for those agents and ban them on sight. I then have another script to ban any IP accessing more than 40 files (not including .gif and .jpg) in 60 seconds. I then have a hidden tag in my site pointing to /cgi-bin/mustdie.pl which bans any IP hitting that I think I catch about 99% of unwanted spiders. My scripts also allow me to tell it certain domains not to ban such as search engines. Last but not least, my script unbans each IP after 24 hours. After about a month of doing this I think I finally have the problem under control. Anyway, here's my list of agents to ban:

Just wish to ask whether its possible to write a program in JavaScript to be instaled on html pages and can block the mentioned ad-blocking software or just to display a blank page if the surfer is using such software?

At the risk of being shot down in flames, I would like to ask what is more important? Surfers or bucks?

What you are doing is interfering with people's wishes to not view ads. That is their choice. If you force them to view them with these scripts, you are going to lose them and lose possible referrals to their friends who maybe don't have adblockers.

This is almost like cheating, but you are cheating the surfers. If I was using adblockers and I was still forced to view ads, I most certainly wouldn't return to that site.

If those unscrupulous ad companies hadn't come up with the 5-40 spawned popups maybe not so many people would be looking for alternatives.

What you are doing is interfering with people's wishes to not view ads. That is their choice. If you force them to view them with these scripts, you are going to lose them and lose possible referrals to their friends who maybe don't have adblockers.

It's mainly an educational issue. My understanding of the intent of this subject header is not "let's fight back against our cheap surfers", but rather "let's fight back against the greedy and unethical manufacturers of ad blocking software".

I'd be willing to bet that most of the users of such software do not realise that what they're doing is wrong, and a threat to the free internet that we've all come to love. By directing such users to a page explaining that the site in question cannot survive unless they agree to view the ads (ie radio, free-to-air TV), or pay for the right to access the site (ie cable, press), one may win the user's empathy or, at the very least, understanding.

If you view the sites promoting ad-blocking software, you'll find that they're so full of propagander and false claims inferrring that ad blocking doesn't hurt anyone, but allows users to avoid an unnecessary evil of the net. As publishers, we have a vested interest in ensuring that users don't believe this to be true.

Let's face it, the media giants will be able to endure small threats such as this, but the indies who add real flavor to the web are at risk when this is compounded with what is already a weak ad market.

If they want to use it [the ad blocking software] so be it. My opinion, your or somebody else does not matter. Is a company shooting 50 linked popups? Their choice. You or me want to employ one method or another …who cares. At the end only the equilibrium [between the blocking software, spiders, robots, popups, your nerves, my nerves, your pockets, my pockets] matters. A web site is a private property. If I want to block all countries, but say Eritrea, is my choice [go stick a finger in your … if you don’t like it]. Do you want a supper authority looking over your shoulder when you type .. Don’t worry will come in a near future. They will wisely decides what ad blocking software is proper to use, ads that are safer for you [say based on your age in seconds – if they are sloppy]. So enjoy the net now

Jan - your comments are definitely a point of view to consider. I agree with what you say about the abusive advertising sites. However, we're not "forcing" surfers to view ads - we just refuse to let them see our website if they're not going to view them. The problem with ad blocking is that if it becomes prominent, the internet will be forced to become a pay-for-use model, as site owners can't afford to allow users to **** up the bandwidth without making any money to cover it. It's like going to a museum that exists on donations - if everyone keeps coming to see the exhibits but nobody donates, they're going to have to start charging admission.

for cnt=0 to ubound(b_agents)
if instr(agent,b_agents(cnt)) > 0 then
Response.Write "<font face=verdana size=2><B><center>Sorry you are not allowd to view this page</b></center><P>"
Response.Write "We have determined that you are using some sort of ad-blocking software or using a browser that downloads our site to your machine.<P> Please understand that we are able to provide this content free because of our Sponsors (ads) and if you choose to block them, we will be unable to display the pages, if people continue to block our sponsors ads using ad-blocking softwares then we will be forced to charge for the content and we do not wish to do this so Please shut of your ad-blocking software and revisit our site."
Response.Write "<P>Thanks,<BR> Editor <BR> http://www.funtoosh.com [ <a href=mailto:webmaster@funtoosh.com>webmaster@funto osh.com </a> ]"
Response.Write "</font></body></html> "
Response.End
end if

"We have determined that you are using some sort of ad-blocking software or using a browser that downloads our site to your machine.<P> Please understand that we are able to provide this content free because of our Sponsors (ads) and if you choose to block them, we will be unable to display the pages, if people continue to block our sponsors ads using ad-blocking softwares then we will be forced to charge for the content and we do not wish to do this so Please shut of your ad-blocking software and revisit our site."

If you are going to do this (anti adblockers) and maybe retain a few visitors, then put something like this in. That way there is a choice - to enter or not to enter.